The Salem Witchcraft Trials started the spring of 1692 in Salem village, Massachusetts. A group of young girls had claimed to be possessed by the devil. After the incident several local women would be accused of witchcraft. Not only women, but men and also children were accused of witchcraft in the 1600’s. The belief of obtaining supernatural powers started way back in the 14th century and was spread out through New England. Around 1869 the people in the United States were recovering from the smallpox epidemic, as well as living in fear from being attacked by surrounding native americans. With theses after effects, many people were on edge about everything out of place that people did. Thus when people would express so called strange behavior like violent actions, they would be sent to a doctor who would at time claim them to be bewitched if no other solution or reasoning could be found. In January 1692 there was a 9 year old girl and an 11 year old girl who were having violent contortions and would have random outburst of screaming A local doctor soon after the incident would diagnose the young girls with bewitchment.
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The incident would soon bring many other young girls with similar symptoms, who would also later be accused of being bewitched. The accused of bewitchment would have a right to a trial. The accused would be put on display in a courtroom most of the time showing acts of screaming , spasms, contortions,and other of the symptoms of being possessed in the 1600’s. Many of the accused would deny their study of witchcraft but others would confess, some in the hope of being saved from death others because of the belief they truly were witches. The witches accused would also claim that other women would be apart of their service to the devil, thus spreading accusations of women being bewitched throughout Massachusetts. The accused would be and could be just about anyone, such as high regarded members of the church down to a four year old girl. The number of women that were being claimed of being bewitched was so great that it began to overwhelm the local justice system. As a result in the year 1692 around the month of May the new appointed governor of massachusetts, a man named William Phips ordered the creation of a special court to hear and decide on witchcraft cases for Suffolk, Essex, and Middlesex countries.This court had hung many women who were accused of being witches, that later on it would be known as Gallows hill in Salem town. Not only would the witches ne hung but others would die in jail, and others would be stoned. The curl deaths brought the attention of few at the time , thus with all the death going on minster Cotton Mather believed that their proof for their accusations were not enough to have the women be accused and hanged. Though throughout the time of salem people were opposed about the thought that what they were doing was wrong and that they might just be killing innocent people. Not until Cotton's father the president of Harvard college at the time, started to share and spread his sons belief. When he intervened people started to see they did not have enough evidence to convict the witches. There argument
The incident would soon bring many other young girls with similar symptoms, who would also later be accused of being bewitched. The accused of bewitchment would have a right to a trial. The accused would be put on display in a courtroom most of the time showing acts of screaming , spasms, contortions,and other of the symptoms of being possessed in the 1600’s. Many of the accused would deny their study of witchcraft but others would confess, some in the hope of being saved from death others because of the belief they truly were witches. The witches accused would also claim that other women would be apart of their service to the devil, thus spreading accusations of women being bewitched throughout Massachusetts. The accused would be and could be just about anyone, such as high regarded members of the church down to a four year old girl. The number of women that were being claimed of being bewitched was so great that it began to overwhelm the local justice system. As a result in the year 1692 around the month of May the new appointed governor of massachusetts, a man named William Phips ordered the creation of a special court to hear and decide on witchcraft cases for Suffolk, Essex, and Middlesex countries.This court had hung many women who were accused of being witches, that later on it would be known as Gallows hill in Salem town. Not only would the witches ne hung but others would die in jail, and others would be stoned. The curl deaths brought the attention of few at the time , thus with all the death going on minster Cotton Mather believed that their proof for their accusations were not enough to have the women be accused and hanged. Though throughout the time of salem people were opposed about the thought that what they were doing was wrong and that they might just be killing innocent people. Not until Cotton's father the president of Harvard college at the time, started to share and spread his sons belief. When he intervened people started to see they did not have enough evidence to convict the witches. There argument